Creamy Tomato Pasta with Finished Noodles and Fresh Basil

Fill a large pot with 6 quarts of water and place over high heat. Once boiling, add 1.5 tsp of kosher salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep this pot at a gentle boil throughout cooking—you'll need this pasta water for the sauce.

While water heats, prepare the aromatics: peel and finely dice the 1 medium yellow onion into 0.25-inch pieces. Peel the 4 garlic cloves and mince them finely. Wash the fresh basil and pat dry with paper towels; set aside.

Place a large wide skillet (12-inch preferred for tossing) over medium heat. Add 3 TBSP of extra virgin olive oil and 2 TBSP of unsalted butter. Allow the butter to melt and foam, about 1 minute.

Add the diced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until softened and translucent. You should see the onion begin to turn golden at the edges.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, for 45 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to let the garlic brown.

Pour the 28 oz of canned crushed tomatoes into the skillet, including all liquid. Stir to combine with the onion and garlic. Add 0.25 tsp of red pepper flakes and stir well.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes. Stir occasionally. The sauce should reduce slightly and deepen in color. You're building flavor and concentrating the tomato.

While the sauce simmers, add the 1 lb of dried pappardelle pasta to the boiling salted water. Stir immediately to prevent sticking. Cook for 1-2 minutes less than the package directions indicate for al dente—this is crucial for the finishing technique. If the package says 12 minutes for al dente, cook for 10-11 minutes. The pasta should still have a slight firmness when you bite it.

After the sauce has simmered for 12-15 minutes, add 1 TBSP of balsamic vinegar and stir. Taste the sauce and season with 0.5 tsp of black pepper and additional salt if needed. The sauce should taste rich, slightly acidic, and well-balanced.

Pour the 0.75 cup of heavy cream into the sauce in a slow stream while stirring constantly. Continue stirring for 1-2 minutes until the cream is fully incorporated. The sauce will turn a beautiful pale coral color. Keep the heat at medium-low—do not boil.

When the pasta is ready (slightly underdone), use tongs or a pasta spider to transfer it directly to the skillet with the sauce. It's perfectly fine if a small amount of pasta water (about 0.5 cup) comes along with the pasta—this is essential for the finishing process.

Increase the heat to medium and toss the pasta vigorously in the sauce for 1-2 minutes. Use two wooden spoons or tongs to keep the pasta in constant motion. You'll see the pasta absorb the sauce and become glossy. This is the finishing technique—the pasta and sauce are becoming unified.

If the sauce seems too thick and doesn't coat the pasta smoothly, add 2-3 TBSP of the warm pasta water and continue tossing for 30 seconds. If it seems too loose, keep tossing over medium heat for another 30 seconds to allow some liquid to evaporate.

Remove the skillet from heat. Tear the fresh basil by hand into bite-sized pieces (roughly 0.5-inch pieces). Add the torn basil to the pasta and toss gently to combine, reserving a small handful for garnish.

Divide the finished pasta among four serving bowls. Grate approximately 2 TBSP of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over each bowl using a microplane or box grater. Garnish with the reserved fresh basil.

Serve immediately while the pasta is hot and the sauce is glossy.